2013 Press Releases

Milk-Maker Hormone May Help Liver Regenerate

Released October 15, 2013 - Prolactin has an important function in the liver, but how important? Researchers, using an animal model, found the animals with extra prolactin had larger livers, regenerated their livers faster after partial removal, and were significantly more likely to survive liver surgery compared to animals that couldn’t process prolactin.

Odd Experiments by “America’s First Physiologist” Shed Light on Digestion

Released April 24, 2013 - A fur trader who suffered an accidental gunshot wound in 1822 and the physician who saw this unfortunate incident as an opportunity for research are key to much of our early knowledge about the workings of the digestive system.
Symposium, “William Beaumont: America’s First Physiologist and Pioneer of Gastrointestinal Research,” sponsored by American Physiological Society.

Probiotic-Derived Treatment Offers New Hope for Premature Babies

Released February 13, 2013 - “Good” bacteria that live in our intestines have been linked with a variety of health benefits. In a new study, researchers have uncovered another advantage to these friendly microscopic tenants: Chemicals secreted by good bacteria that typically live in the intestines of babies could reduce the frequency and severity of a common and often-lethal disease of premature infants,
known as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).